//------------------------------//
// Chapter 25 
// Story: Other Duties As Required 
// by Hiver 
//------------------------------//

The door opened and I quickly swallowed the last mango cube, teleporting the small bowl behind my throne.

A trio of ponies entered. One I recognized by name and look, two I had met before, Nocturnis was still small enough that I could meet all new arrivals.

It was a trio of bat ponies, all mares. All had the common grey coat, but only the lead mare had black mane, the other two were pink and dark green respectively.

The lead was Gold Lining.

The representative for what very loosely could be called the local merchants guild. It wasn't anything near as formal, more like a way for the local traders, shopkeepers and similar to meet and bring up grievances and different items for discussion.

They bowed and I regarded them for a second before I spoke up, "Miss Lining," I said, giving them a nod, "What can I do for the merchant association today?"

She stood up, looking up at me, "Your Majesty, we would like to submit a complaint and request the crown take action."

I nodded to her, "Of course. Please, what is the problem?"

"The prices on imported goods have been going up every year for the past three years. It's becoming completely uneconomical to import some goods used every day by ponies, they can't afford them anymore."

I frowned slightly, "On things such as what?"

"Grains, potatoes, salt... iron goods... basically everything," she said and shook her head, "Some of those goods are absolutely critical, such as salt. Salt has increased on average twenty percent per kilo every year for the last three years!"

I shook my head, "So buy them from somewhere else."

"We tried, your majesty. Everypony else we checked with that can provide the bulk necessary quote us even higher prices, even after negotiations."

"Are you sure prices are not just going up?"

Gold Lining shook her head, "I went to Canterlot. Prices in the stores are like they were before. Everypony says the high prices are because of 'risky transport and uncertainty of return'."

"So this is on credit?"

She hesitated and then sighed, "We can't afford to buy those amounts with bits up front, your majesty. None of the banks will loan us the money either, we're considered a risky investment."

I nodded, "I understand, Golden Lining. I can't promise anything, but I'll see what can be done. Please make sure Starlight gets all the relevant paperwork."

"Of course, your majesty," she said and all three bowed again before filing out.

The door closed behind them and I rubbed my eyes with a hoof.

Bucking damn it. I had talked with Gold Lining three times. One time when she first arrived.

Every time since then it always came with a headache.

"Sir?"

I opened an eye to see Flower standing before the throne, holding a cup of tea in one hoof, offering it to me.

"Flower, remind me to get you something extra nice for your birthday," I told her seriously as I took it with my hoof.

She smiled at me, "You already always do, sir," she said before she glanced towards the door.

I sighed, "Yeah, didn't like the sound of that either."

"...You don't think..."

"Not in this case, no," I sighed and sipped my tea, "I think it's just merchants doing merchant things. Transporting anything through the jungle is a risk and if they're doing it on credit..."

I sighed once more and laid down on the throne, taking my tea in my magic instead and sipped it again, "I can't even really blame them. If even a single cargo was lost they would be out many thousands of bits."

"I suppose," Flower said, one ear flicking twice, "So what do we do?"

I shifted my wings, "I'll discuss things with Princess Celestia," I said, "I'm sure we can figure something out, maybe put some of the money into a fund that can be used to take loans against instead of needing to purchase on credit. Maybe even on a small interest to let it grow. But I want Starlight to go through the documents first, see how bad things are. She's good at that sort of thing."

Flower nodded and then pulled a clipboard from beneath her wing "That was the last audience for the night as well."

"Anything else scheduled?"

"Not today, your majesty. I need to go talk to Starlight."

"Thank you, Flower."

She left, leaving me alone with Shade and Leaf who were standing by the doors. I sipped my tea as I studied my hooves.

I hated asking Luna and Celestia for more money. Cadence’s offer was already more than generous when it came to the tourist proposal. I certainly didn't have enough liquid bits to put anything like that up on my own.

Buck, Nocturnis didn't have that big a pile of bits!

We had bits flowing, but no big pile of it somewhere I could Scrooge McDuck it.

Bits, bits, it's always bucking bits. I never wanted to be a prince, I don't care about money.

So when the buck did I end up a prince that has to spend most of his time worrying about money!? I felt like screaming.

Instead I calmly sipped my tea again. My ponies relied on me. Seeing me screaming while running around in little circles would do nopony any good, in fact it would most definitely make things worse.

Well, nothing to do about it now anyway. I wanted Starlight's analysis for anything else, she was great at that sort of thing.

Putting my cup to the side, I stretched before jumping off the throne and smiled and Shade and Leaf, "I think going on a flight would be nice. What do you two think?"

"It'll rain in an hour or so, sir," Leaf reminded me, "The scouts have detected wild clouds heading this way."

"Ah, good point," I agreed, "A short one then?"

They both nodded and I headed for the balcony. I likely had more paperwork to do as well, there was a constant stream of it. But if I were to do that, I wanted to fly some first.